[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 72 (Monday, April 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18993-18995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7176]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0499; FRL-8298-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Voluntary Cover Sheet for TSCA 
Submissions; EPA ICR No. 1780.04, OMB No. 2070-0156

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Voluntary Cover Sheet for 
TSCA Submissions; EPA ICR No. 1780.04, OMB No. 2070-0156. The ICR, 
which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information 
collection activity and its expected burden and costs.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before May 16, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2006-0499 to (1) EPA online

[[Page 18994]]

using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
[email protected] or by mail to: Document Control Office (DCO), Office 
of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection 
Agency, Mail Code: 7407T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20460, and (2) OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Cunningham, Director, 
Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408-M, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
554-1404; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On August 18, 2006 (71 FR 47805), EPA sought comments on this 
renewal ICR. EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the comment period. Any 
comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 
30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0499, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person inspection at the OPPT Docket 
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) at Rm. 3334, EPA West Bldg., 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room 
hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding Federal holidays. The telephone number of the EPA/DC Public 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT 
Docket is (202) 566-0280. Use www.regulations.gov to submit or view 
public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public 
docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are 
available electronically. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then 
key in the docket ID number identified above.
    EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted 
electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing 
in www.regulations.gov as EPA receives them and without change, unless 
the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information 
whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a 
comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference 
to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in 
www.regulations.gov. The entire printed comment, including the 
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although 
identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as 
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not 
included in the official public docket, and will not be available for 
public viewing in www.regulations.gov. For further information about 
the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Voluntary Cover Sheet for TSCA Submissions.
    ICR Status: This is a request to renew an existing approved 
collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2007. Under OMB 
regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the 
collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
    Abstract: TSCA requires industry to submit information and studies 
for existing chemical substances under sections 4, 6, and 8, and 
requests voluntary submission of such information under the Voluntary 
Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP). EPA typically receives 
thousands of such submissions each year; each submission represents on 
average three studies. In addition, EPA can impose specific data call-
ins on industry.
    As a follow-up to industry experience with a 1994 TSCA data call-
in, the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA, now known as the 
American Chemistry Council [ACC]), the Specialty Organics Chemical 
Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), and the Chemical Industry Data 
Exchange (CIDX), in cooperation with EPA, took an interest in pursuing 
electronic transfer of TSCA summary data and of full submissions to 
EPA. In particular, ACC developed a standardized cover sheet for 
voluntary use by industry as a first step to an electronic future and 
to begin familiarizing companies with standard requirements and 
concepts of electronic transfer. This form is designed for voluntary 
use as a cover sheet for submissions of information under TSCA sections 
4, 8(d), 8(e) and VCCEP. The cover sheet facilitates submission of 
information by displaying certain basic data elements, permitting EPA 
more easily to identify, log, track, distribute, review and index 
submissions, and to make information publicly available more rapidly 
and at reduced cost, to the mutual benefit of both the respondents and 
EPA.
    Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. 
Respondents may claim all or part of a notice as CBI. EPA will disclose 
information that is covered by a CBI claim only to the extent permitted 
by, and in accordance with, the procedures in 40 CFR part 2.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal 
Register, are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and included on the related 
collection instrument or form, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.5 
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain or disclose 
or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the 
time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install and 
utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, 
validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining 
information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the 
existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and 
requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of 
information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of 
information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are companies that manufacture, process, use, import or 
distribute in commerce chemical substances that are subject to 
reporting requirements under sections 4, 8(d) or 8(e) of the Toxic 
Substances Control Act (TSCA), or are subject to voluntary reporting 
under the Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP).
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 1.8.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 1,206.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,061 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $52,779.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: This request reflects a decrease of 
8,074 hours (from 9,136 hours to 1,061 hours) in the total estimated 
respondent burden from that currently in the OMB inventory. This 
decrease reflects a

[[Page 18995]]

decrease in the estimated number of submissions under TSCA sections 4, 
8(d) and 8(e), offset by the estimated number of submissions under 
VCCEP, for which the Voluntary TSCA Cover Sheet could be used, in 
particular a substantial decrease in the estimated number of TSCA 
section 4 submissions.

    Dated: April 6, 2007.
Robert Gunter,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
 [FR Doc. E7-7176 Filed 4-13-07; 8:45 am]
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